William Roache was the subject of a "witch hunt", according to his 'Coronation Street' co-stars.
The 81-year-old actor was cleared of all charges in court yesterday (06.02.14) after standing trial for historic sexual abuse charges - including four counts of indecent assault and two rapes against girls under the age of 16 between 1965 and 1971 - and past Weatherfield stars have blasted prosecutors for wasting public money on the "nonsense" trial.
Ken Morley, who played Reg Holdsworth in the ITV soap, said: "Another waste of public money.
"Considering the Michael Le Vell farce, they should be careful about the waste of taxpayers' money. We all knew it was nonsense from the outset.
"It is part of the Jimmy Savile witch hunt. This all followed the demise of the repulsive DJ from Yorkshire."
87-year-old Jean Alexander, who played Hilda Ogden for 23 years, added to The Sun newspaper: "Why did this ever come to court and leave Bill suffering for such a long time? The law needs to change to stop people making wild accusations nearly half a century on which are wrong and can destroy a person."
After being found not guilty, it's thought William immediately spoke to ITV Granada about his return to 'Corrie' as Weatherfield stalwart Ken Barlow, who has appeared in the soap since its first episode in December 1960.
William - who was written out of the show in May 2013, when the charges were first brought against him - could be back on set by July and back on screens in the autumn.

Kelly Brook resembles men's ideal girlfriend.
The ex-'Celebrity Juice' panellist has been voted the celebrity bachelors would most like their would-be girlfriend to look like, closely followed by former 'X Factor' judge Cheryl Cole, Olympian Jessica Ennis and 'Strictly Come Dancing' diva Denise Van Outen.
In a new poll conducted by dating up Lovoo in the lead-up to Valentine's Day on February 14, pollsters also decided their ideal girl's favourite show would be hit HBO fantasy drama 'Game of Thrones'.
Other shows the ideal woman would eagerly watch, according to the men polled, are sitcom 'Friends', long-running ITV soap 'Coronation Street' and football highlights show 'Match of the Day'.
Lovoo founder Benjamin Bak said: ''It seems that British men have very specific tastes for a girl to live up to. We know that everyone has a favourite hair colour and sometimes even eye colour and height. But we think that avoiding a woman because she might support an opposing football team or enjoy a different genre of films to you, might be being a bit too picky.
"We encourage meeting up with people you share interests with, but suggest not being too strict as you might find that you get to learn something new. Dating is fun and shouldn't become a chore or make you feel as though you won't ever find 'the one'. Being more open to new things will certainly help you find that perfect girlfriend.''
Lovoo is a location-based dating app that allows you to be spontaneous and meet people near you via its live radar. Find out more at http://www.lovoo.net.

Leonard Nimoy has been diagnosed with chronic lung disease.
The 82-year-old actor - famous for playing Mister Spock in the original 'Star Trek' TV series and movies - has developed obstructive pulmonary disease, despite quitting smoking 30 years ago, and has urged his fans to ditch the cigarettes before it's too late.
He wrote on Twitter: "I quit smoking 30 yrs ago. Not soon enough. I have COPD. Grandpa says, quit now!! LLAP
"Smokers, please understand. If you quit after you're diagnosed with lung damage it's too late. Grandpa says learn my lesson. Quit now. LLAP
"I'm doing OK. Just can't walk distances. Love my life, family, friends and followers. LLAP [live long and prosper] (sic)"
Nimoy - who had a cameo as Spock Prime in 2013 film 'Star Trek Into Darkness' star - was spotted last month in New York City leaving the hospital in a wheelchair, while attached to a breathing apparatus.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term used for a number of illnesses affecting the lungs, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which affects millions of people around the world.
The disease damages the air sacs and passages into the lungs, which can then make breathing difficult, and the majority of cases are believed to be caused by cigarette smoke.

Leonardo DiCaprio says Kate Winslet is one of his most loyal friends.
The A-list actor got his big break in James Cameron's iconic blockbuster 'Titanic' alongside the British actress 18 years ago and says the pair are close than ever because she is such a "real" person.
Quizzed about Kate always heaping praise on him, Leonardo told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I feel the same about her. It's been fantastic, honestly, having someone who is my age, and such a real woman."
The Oscar-nominated actor admitted he is even letting Kate stay in his house in Los Angeles while he is away.
He added: "Her husband's awesome, the kids are great, but I don't get to see her as much as I wish."
Leonardo also spoke out about the tragic death of fellow Hollywood heavyweight Philip Seymour Hoffman, who was found dead in his New York City apartment last weekend, aged just 46.
He said: "I didn't know him on a personal level, but his work was just astounding. We've lost one of the greats, we really have."
The 39-year-old actor plays debauched stockbroker Jordan Belfort in his latest film, 'The Wolf of Wall Street' and says he had to detach himself from his "personal vanity" to immerse himself in some of the more shocking scenes, which include nudity and narcotics use.
Leonardo explained: "The truth is, I really did everything. It was all me. There were no doubles. Hey, man, I'm playing a modern-day Roman emperor and I'm going to play the hell out of this guy, and anything goes.
"You detach any sense of who you are form the whole process, and just get an excuse to do anything - and so I did! Trust me, there were times when I had to stop and think, 'What am I about to do in this sequence!'
"But then I'd tell myself that I'm playing a character. I'm not going to put my own personal vanity into that process. I did - and showed - whatever I had to."

R. Kelly has allegedly fired his management.
The 'Ignition' hitmaker had signed with artist management firm Red Light Management last year but now the company - which also works with Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys and was founded by Coran Capshaw in 1991 - has reportedly been ditched in favour of Upfront Megatainment owner Devyne Stephens.
An industry insider told the New York Post newspaper: "Kelly hit the management jackpot when he signed with [Coran] Capshaw's company. Leaving Red Light for Stephens would be like quitting the Houston Rockets - or the Yankees - to play for a high-school coach in Podunk. Red Light is furious that Stephens would poach their client. And the company's considering legal action."
Devyne describes himself on his website as a "music mogul" and "extraordinary businessman" who has worked with a string of stars including Gwen Stefani, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey.
While sources claim Devyne had been added to Kelly's team "months ago" others say the 'I Believe I can fly' singer hasn't left Red Light management just yet and is still considering his options.
A different source said: "[Kelly has] gone underground ... he's in a bunker and hasn't been returning calls."

Philip Seymour Hoffman's friends, family and co-stars attended his wake in New York on Thursday (06.02.14). The 46-year-old actor's estranged girlfriend Mimi O'Donnell and the couple's three children Cooper, 10, Tallulah, seven, and Willa, five, paid...

Rob Kardashian doesn't want to get married - because he's scared of getting divorced.
The 26-year-old star - who had a highly-publicised relationship with Rita Ora in 2012 - is afraid of settling down with someone and doesn't want to get hitched in case it didn't work out and he had to go through the courts to separate.
When asked what he was most afraid of, he said: "Probably picking a proper wife and not just rushing something. Actually, I'm probably not afraid of that because I probably just won't get married. But probably like finding the right one, because I don't really believe in divorce, so just finding the right girl."
Meanwhile, the 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star - who appears on the show with his sisters Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian - rarely goes out any more to try and find a girlfriend and admits he spends most of his time playing video games long into the night.
Speaking to the Huffington Post as part of its #nofilter series, he said: "I work out at 9.30 or 10 o'clock at night and sometimes I just keep going. I've never been a big sleeper. Me and all my buddies we don't really ever sleep that much. We're not partying either, we just don't sleep. We'd rather work on other things or do other things."

Michelle Rodriguez wants to star alongside Cara Delevingne in 'Thelma And Louise'.
The 'Fast and Furious' star and the bushy-browed model have been inseparable for the past few months and Rodriguez who has been in talks for the forthcoming movie is "pushing" for Delevingne to be cast too.
An insider told The Sun newspaper: "Michelle is heavily in demand to take the lead after her success in 'The Fast And The Furious'.
"A few names have been mentioned as her co-star, including Kristen Stewart, Annalynne McCord and Leighton Meester - but Michelle is pushing for Cara.
"She thinks she would light up the big screen and that the pair of them would be a huge hit together."
Delevingne is set to appear in 'Kids In Love' this summer and has recently been filming crime drama 'The Face Of An Angel', which tells the story of a journalist who is chasing the story of a murder and its prime suspect.
The original 'Thelma And Louise' was a cult classic roadie movie which became a box office smash in 1991 and starred Geena David and Susan Sarandon.
They play an Arkansas waitress and a housewife who shoot a rapist and go on the run. The movie also stars Brad Pitt.

Nick Frost and Chris O'Dowd working together was a "disaster", joked director James Griffiths.
The pair star alongside one another in romantic comedy 'Cuban Fury', where Frost's alter-ego Bruce Garrett battles it out with O'Dowd's character Drew as they try and win over their boss' affection.
Since both actors have a great sense of humour they spent "hours and hours" teasing one another while filming which prolonged getting joint sequences shot.
Griffiths explained: "Anything with Nick and Chris was a disaster. I mean it was hours and hours of the two of them ribbing."
The British director was forced to do one particular scene with O'Dowd alone because he struggled to get though it with other cast there, however he insists he wouldn't have had it any other way and claims working with the pair of them was a "joy" as it's the kind of "headache" you want.
Speaking at the UK premiere of the film at the Vue Cinema in London's Leicester Square on Thursday (06.02.14), he told BANG Showbiz: "There is one scene in the office where Chris has to describe what he'd do to Rashida [who plays female lead Julia], which is very, very rude. It went on for about 30 takes and we just couldn't get through it because everyone was gawping. In the end I had to do a single on Chris with no one else in the room, just doing the lines because it was tricky. But that's the joy you want, you want that headache."
Frost and O'Dowd attended the premiere alongside their co-stars Jones, Olivia Colman and Kayvan Novak, as well as singer Paloma Faith.

Missy Elliot is set to make a comeback.
The American rapper and producer is planning her return to music nine years after releasing her last album 'The Cookbook' and has hinted she could follow in Beyoncé's footsteps and surprise fans.
In a chat with Yahoo's 'The Yo Show', Missy said: "When I create something, it's gotta be special, and it can't just be to throw something out there because I feel like I'm Missy.
"I gotta feel like what I'm giving the fans is 100 per cent and that it's game-changing. I don't just throw out microwave records."
Missy confirmed her comeback album is imminent but when quizzed about the release date, she replied: "I just ain't telling nobody when."
After stepping out of the spotlight in 2005, she began producing and lending her vocals to singles by Monica, Keyshia Cole, Jazmine Sullivan and Jennifer Hudson.
Since 2007 Missy has teased her seventh album, 'Block Party', with a handful of singles including 'Best, Best', 'Ching-a-Ling' and 'Shake Your Pom Pom' but the full record has never been released.
In 2012 she also dropped the singles '9th Inning' and 'Triple Threat', reuniting her with collaborator Timbaland.
More recently the 42-year-old star has worked with girl band Little Mix on their single 'How Ya Doin'?' last year.

Beck wrote his album using a toy guitar.
The 43-year-old rock singer says he was forced to use a plastic instrument when writing his 2008 album ' Modern Guilt' after suffering a serious spinal injury, which not only jeopardised his singing ability but made holding the instrument excruciatingly painful.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Beck explained: "When I made 'Modern Guilt' it was really tough. I made that whole record on a toy guitar. I couldn't even sing from here [he says pointing to his waist.] And I could only sing from the neck. It wasn't the greatest time for me."
The 'Loser' hitmaker claims he was disappointed that he couldn't get back into the studio earlier after major surgery forced him to take a six year hiatus from recording music to fully recover from his injury.
Beck recalled: "I wanted to make another record and I kept thinking it was going to get better, but it took a real long time to heal. I had a lot of physical therapy and healing. I had about 20 different things done."
Meanwhile, Beck expressed his excitement ahead of the release of his new album 'Morning Phase', his first in six years, which is out on February 25.
He gushed: "I've put a lot into it and it's a record I've wanted to make for a long time. It's gratifying feeling that I finally got here."

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Duchess Catherine will host a star-studded reception at Buckingham Palace later this month.
The 87-year-old royal is teaming up with the Duchess of Cambridge, 32, to welcome a host of A-Listers including Dame Helen Mirren, Sir David Attenborough, Cate Blanchett, David Tennant and Benedict Cumberbatch in honour of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) on February 17.
Hello! magazine report they will be joined by a number of other royals including Elizabeth's husband Prince Philip - known as the Duke of Edinburgh - at the monarch's London residence.
This event will come only a day after Prince William will attend the BAFTA Awards 2014 which will be held at London's Royal Opera House.
The Duke of Cambridge - who is President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts - is due to present Mirren with the Fellowship Award in honour of her contribution to the film industry at the ceremony.
Amanda Berry OBE, chief executive of BAFTA, is "delighted" to have the 31-year-old royal - whose grandfather was the organisation's first president in 1959 - attend the event.
She previously said: "We are delighted to welcome our President back to the EE British Academy Film Awards. The Duke loves film and he is incredibly supportive of the work BAFTA does."